Al-Hadith Hazro Magazine No.5

Article no.3

Muhadith Zubair Ali Zai

Translated Abu Ubaydah

15th Night Of Sha’ban And Special Acts Of Worship

There are some ahadith that are mentioned which talk about the virtue of the 15th night of Sha’ban. The meaning of those ahadith are that, Allah descends to the lowest heaven and forgives the sins of people in such a great amount that it is more in number than the hair’s of the goats from the Kalb tribe.

Due to these ahadith many people carry out extra amounts of worship during this night. An overview of these narrations are as follows:

“On the 15th night of Sha’ban Allah specifically looks at the creation and forgives the sins of all the Muslim creation, except for the Mushriks and those Muslims who keep grudges of their Muslim brethren.”

(As-Silsilah as-Sahiha 3/135 Hadith no.1144)

An overview of the Takhrij for the narrations which Shaikh mentioned are below:

1. Hadith of Mu’adh Ibn Jabal (Radi Allahu Anhu)

Imam Makhul narrated it through the chain of:

from Malik ibn Yukhamir from Mu’adh Ibn Jabal (Radi Allahu Anhu)

[REFERENCES] This hadith is present with the same above chain of narration in the following books:

From az-Zubair Ibn Salim from adh-Dhahak Ibn Abdurahman from his father he said, I heard Abu Musa – till the end of the hadith.

[REFERENCES]Ibn Majah (1390/2), as-Sunnah of Ibn Abi Asim (no.510, other manuscript no.522), as-Sunnah of al-Lalika’i (3/447 hadith no.763)In this chain there is Abdurahman Ibn Arzab who is [Majhul] unknown. (Taqrib no.3950). Similarly Zubair Ibn Salim is also [Majhul] unknown. (Taqrib no.1996) In some books it has mistakenly been published with the name Rabi’ Ibn Sulaiman and in others it is Zubair Ibn Sulaiman.

Outcome: This chain is [Da’if] weakNote: In the other chain of Ibn Majah (1390/1) instead of Ibn Lahi’a there is Walid Ibn Muslim, who is a Mudalis and Dhahak Ibn Ayman, who is [Majhul] unknown. (Taqrib no.2965). This chain is also [Munqati’], therefore this chain is also [Da’if] weak.

[REFERENCES]Kashful Astar (2/436 hadith no.2048) (2/436 hadith no.2048), and al-Majlis as-Sabi’ of abi Muhamad al-Jawhari (as-Sahihah 3/137) In this narration there is Abdurahman Ibn Ziyad Ibn An’am who is [Da’if] according to the majority of the Muhadithin. Ibn Hajr said, “He has a weak memory…and he was a righteous man.” (Taqrib no.3862)

Outcome: This narration is [Mawdu’] fabricatedNote: There are other narrations with the same meaning from Ali (Radi Allahu Anhu) that are [Mawdu’] fabricated and rejected. See al-Mawdu’at of Ibn ul-Jawzi (2/127), Mizan ul-‘Itidal (3/120), al-La’a’li al-Masnuah (2/60)

This contains Isa Ibn Ibrahim who is [Munkar al-Hadith] rejected in hadith and [Matruk] abandoned. Marwan Ibn Salim is [Matruk] abandoned and [Mut-ham] accused and the credibility of Salamah is unknown.

From Abdullah Ibn Dharar from Yazid Ibn Muhamad from his father from Muhamad Ibn Marwan from Ibn Umar (Radi Allahu Anhu)

(al-Mawdu’at of Ibn al-Jawzi 2/128)

In this chain the reliability of Salih, Abdullah Ibn Dharar, Yaid and Muhamad Ibn Marwan is unknown i.e. they are [Majhul] unknown. Ibn al-Jawzi said that, “We have no doubt at all that this hadith is [MAwdu’] fabricated.” (al-Mawdu’at 2/129)

See Dhayl al-La’a’li al-Masnuah (pg no. 112, 113). This narration is [Munqati’] disconnected as well as being [Mawdu’] fabricated.

14. The Saying Of Makhul The Tabi’i Imam Makhul said that, “On the 15th night of Sha’ban Allah specially looks at the people of the Earth and forgives the sins of all the people, except for the Kafir and those who keep a grudge against one another.” (Shu’bul Iman of al-Bayhaqi 3/381 hadith no.3830)

This chain is [Hasan] however it is not a hadith rather it is the saying of Imam Makhul. It is known from this that [Da’if] weak and [Majhul] unknown narrators raised the saying of Makhul to the level of a [Marfu’] hadith and narrated it. It is not correct to raise the saying of Makhul to the level of a [Marfu’] hadith and even if that is done then it is [Da’if] weak because it becomes [Mursal]

A Summary Of The Tahqiq The narration about the 15th night of Sha’ban is not established from the Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) or any of the noble companions (Radi Allahu Anhum)

The Decision Of The Muhaqiq Abu Bakr Ibn ul-Arabi wrote that,“There are no reliable or credible hadith about the virtues of the 15th night of Sha’ban at all. There are also no reliable or credible hadith about the decision on people’s deaths (i.e. the time of an individual’s death) being abrogated on this night. Therefore do not pay any attention at all to these unreliable ahadith.” (Ahkam ul-Qur’an 4/1690)

Ibn ul-Qayim wrote that,“There are no established narrations about making a special salah on the 15th night of Sha’ban.” (al-Munar al-Munif pg no.98, 99)

Ibn ul-Qayim also goes on to say that,“It is enormously strange that a person who has the understanding of the Sunnah performs an absolutely bizarre type of salah after listening to these fictions. (i.e. performing 100 rak’at by reciting surah ikhlas 1000 times).” (al-Munar al-Munif pg no.99)

Hasan Li-Ghayrihi!? The great muhadith Shaikh Albani declared the narration about the 15th of Sha’ban as being [Sahih] due to it having many routes of transmission. However this narration does not reach the level of [Sahih Li-ghayrihi]. Not one chain is [Sahih] or [Hasan Li-Thatihi] so how has it reached to the level of [Sahih Li-Ghayrihi]? Some people have said that this narration is [Hasan Li-Ghayrihi].

There are two types of [Hasan Li-Ghayrihi]: 1. A narration with a [Da’if] weak chain which is in and of itself [Da’if] weak, whilst another narration is [Hasan Li-Thatihi]. This ([Da’if] weak) chain becomes [Hasan] when it is placed with the [Hasan Li-Thatihi] (narration). 2. A narration with a [Da’if] weak chain which is in and of itself [Da’if] weak and there are other [Da’if] weak and rejected narrations present with the same meaning. Some scholars understand these to be [Hasan Li-Ghayrihi] whilst this is a type of [Da’if] weak hadith.

Evidence No.1 It is absolutely not established from the Qur’an, hadith and Ijma’ that [Da’if] weak + [Da’if] weak + [Da’if] weak = [Hasan Li-Ghayrihi] is established as being a proof.

Evidence No.2 Narrations like this are not established as being proof from the noble companions (Radi Allahu Anhum)

Evidence No.3 Narrations like this are not established as being proof from the noble Tabi’in

Evidence No.4 Narrations like this are not established as being proof from Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim and other than them

Evidence No.5 Apart from Imam Tirmidhi, [Hasan Li-Ghayrihi] narrations like this are not established as being proof by the general Muhadithin. For e.g. Muhamad Ibn Abi Layla ([Da’if]) narrated a hadith with the chain of:

From his brother Isa from al-Hakam from Abdurahman Ibn Abi Layla from al-Bara Ibn Azib

There are several narrations about performing the salah in one direction during a general salah. See as-Sahihah of Shaikh al-Albani (1/564-566 hadith no.316). Not one of these are [Sahih] or [Hasan Li-Thatihi].

Ibn Abdul Bar says about these narrations that, “However all these narrations are [Ma’lul] weak. The scholars of hadith do not declare them to be [Sahih].” (Zadul Ma’ad vol no.1 pg no.259)

Ibn ul-Qayim also says that, “However it is not established from a [Sahih] chain from the Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam).” (Zadul Ma’ad vol no.1 pg no.259)

Evidence No. 6 Ibn Kathir wrote that, “It is enough (to succeed) in a debate that one establishes the opposition’s chain to be [Da’if]. This will make him unable to answer because the foundation is that all the other narrations are [Ma’dum] void (and false) except and until another (authentic) chain is established. And Allah knows best.” (Ikhtisar Ulum ul-Hadith pg no.85, subject no.22, other manuscript 1/274, 275, and as-Sakhawi narrated it from him in Fathul Mugith 1/287 in knowing to accept his narration and of those who respond)

Evidence No.7 Ibn ul-Qatan al-Fasi clarified about [Hasan Li-Ghayrihi] that, “This does not constitute to being an evidence rather this is acted upon in the [Fadha’il A’mal] virtuous actions.” (an-Nukt ala Kitab ibn us-Salah 1/402)

Evidence No.9 When the Hanafis and Shafi’is and other than them refute each other they do not use [Hasan Li-ghayrihi] type of narrations as a proof. For e.g. a (weak) narration which has the same meaning of another narration that has several [Da’if] weak chains has been declared as being [Da’if] weak by Imam Nawawi. (Khilasatul Ahkam vol no.1 pg no.377 hadith no.1173, chapter of weak)

The narration about the Fatiha Khalf ul-Imam which has many chains of narration has been declared as being [Ma’lul] etc. by Naymawi Hanafi. See Athar as-Sunan (hadith no.353, 354, 355, 356)

Evidence No.10 In the modern day era there are a lot of scholars who perform [Jarh] criticise and declare narrations which have numerous chains, and do not have an excessive weakness, as being [Da’if] weak and rejected.

which contains evidence about the Fatiha Khalf ul-Imam, has been said to be [Da’if] weak by the Muhadith al-Albani. (Tahqiq Sunan Abi Dawud no.823, published by Maktabutul Ma’arif, ar-Riyadh)

However there are many witnessing reports for this narration. See Kitab ul-Qira’at of al-Bayhaqi and al-Kawakib ad-Duriyah fi Wujub al-Fatiha Khalf ul-Imam fil Jahriyah of the author. Shaikh al-Albani does not recognise it to be [Hasan Li-Ghayrihi] even though it has numerous chains and witnessing reports. (Whilst the narration of Fatiha Khalf ul-Imam is [Hasan Lithatihi] and [Sahih Li-Ghayrihi] wal-hamdullilah)

In summary the narration about the 15th of Sha’ban is [Da’if] weak.

Acting On [Da’if] Weak Hadith In Matters Pertaining To [Fadha’il] Virtues Some people recognise the [Da’if] weak narrations, which mention [Fadha’il] virtues, as proof (when it coincides with their desires) and they call towards acting upon them. However there is a group of Muhaqiqin who say that an invidual cannot act upon [Da’if] weak hadith [Mutlaqan]. Meaning according to them one cannot act upon [Da’if] weak hadith which are to do with Ahkam and [Fadha’il] virtues.

Jamaludin Qasimi (Shami) mentioned about this methodology on [Da’if] weak hadith that, “Whether it is Ahkam or [Fadha’il] virtues, one should not act upon them. Ibn Sayid un-Nas mentioned it from Ibn Ma’in in Uyun al-Athar. Sakhawi attributed it to Abu Bakr Ibn ul-Arabi in Fath ul-Mugith. And it is apparent that this is the methodology of Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, the conditions of Sahih Bukhari bear witness to it. Imam Muslim has severely criticised the narrators of [Da’if] weak hadith, as I mentioned previously. Both the Imams did not narrate a single [Da’if] weak narration to do with [Fadha’il] virtues in their respective books.” (Qawaid ut-Tahdith pg no.113, al-Hadith Hazro no.4 pg no.7)

It is known from this that Ibn Abbas (Radi Allahu Anhuma) did not recognise [Da’if] weak hadith about [Fadha’il] virtues as being a proof.

Ibn Hibban said, “Therefore whatever hadith the [Da’if] weak individual narrates, and the narration which does not exist, both have the same ruling.” (Kitab al-Majruhin 1/328 biography of Sa’id Ibn Ziyad Ibn Qa’id)

Why do you sleep after Asr whilst Ibn Lahi’a narrated a hadith through the chain of

From Aqil from Makhul from the Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) thatWhosoever sleeps after Asr and his intellects disappears then he should only blame himself.

Layth Ibn Sa’d responded: I cannot leave that thing which gives me benefit because of a hadith by Ibn Lahi’a from Aqil. (al-Kamil of Ibn Adi 4/1463 and it’s chain is [Sahih])

It is known from this that Imam Layth Ibn Sa’d also did not act upon [Da’if] weak hadith which were to do with [Fadha’il] virtues.

Note: Ibn Lahi’a is [Da’if] weak and did [Ikhtilat] later, and is a [Mudalis]. And this chain is [Mursal] therefore it is [Da’if] weak.

Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani said that, “There is no difference on acting upon [Da’if] weak hadith which are Ahkam or Fadha’il because these are all actions to do with the Shar’iah.” (Tabayin ul-Ajab bima ward fi fadha’il rajab pg no.73)

Lastly, I would like to mention that there is not even a [Da’if] weak narration about performing a special salah that has 100 rak’at with reciting surah ikhlas 1000 times specifically on the 15th of Sha’ban. These type of narrations are all [Mawdu’] fabricated.

Note: Allah the Most High descends to the lowest heaven in the last part of every night just as it is established from mutawatir ahadith in the Sahihayn (Bukhari no.1145 and no.7494, and Muslim no.758) etc. We believe in this and entrust how it happens to Allah, He knows best.